Friends, Indeed
by dtrumps
Summary: Bella and Emmett, best friends, transfer to the University of Houston from Phoenix, where they meet the people who will change their lives.
1. Meeting Alice

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight the book or the characters.

Chapter 1: Meeting Alice

"Okay. It looks like this is it. Let's find our rooms." Emmett opened the driver's door and stepped out into the beautiful Houston sunshine. Eighty-two degrees and it's barely even June yet. It's okay, I'm used to it. I'm from Arizona. But I'm not used to this humidity. It almost hurts to breathe. It's early yet, barely 9am. Hopefully the humidity would burn off as the day heats up.

"Where do we go?" I asked, looking around the picturesque University of Houston campus.

"It says we just go into the lobby here. They'll give us our room assignments." We each grabbed a bag and walked toward the dorm.

I looked up at the sign on the awning of the building in front of us. Cougar Place. Looks nice, relatively modern, if a bit industrial. We walked into the lobby and gave our names to the girl behind the desk, took our ID photos, collected our new ID badges, and headed out the back door to find our rooms.

Behind the main building, there was a large courtyard with barbeque pits, volleyball and basketball courts and a gazebo. Leading from the courtyard, sidewalks ran around the perimeter of the housing complex, which was situated behind a tall, black iron fence. There were several buildings inside the fence, each building housing about forty dorm rooms, upstairs and down, front and back. The rooms all opened to the outside, like a motel.

Emmett, my best friend, and I requested that we share a room. Initially, we thought it wouldn't be a problem, regardless of the differences in our sex, because of the way the dorm rooms were laid out. The rooms were actually two separate rooms that only connected in the middle by the bathroom, the suite making a ninety degree angle. There were even separate entrances from the outside patio. Theoretically, one could go a long time without having to actually interact with their "roommate," unless they happen upon each other said bathroom. But apparently, it was not to be. My paperwork said I would be sharing with someone named "Alice Brandon."

"Where are you?" I looked up at Emmett, waiting for his response. He looked genuinely confused. I looked down at the paperwork in my hand and noted that my room number was 328. Must be upstairs.

"Um…it says…room 321." He stopped in the middle of the sidewalk with his baggage to look around. "There's 331, so it shouldn't be far." We walked down, counting the doors. "323, 321. Here we are." Emmett walked up to his door, unlocked it & pushed it open. Inside were four bland cream colored walls and thick cream-colored curtains over the window, a stripped twin-sized bed that looked like it could barely fit Emmett's large form, a bedside table, a dresser, and a desk and chair. "Home sweet home."

Emmett dropped his bags and turned around. "Let's find yours now. Then we can go get the rest of the things from the truck."

We trudged up the stairs with my luggage and quickly found 328. I unlocked the door and stepped into a world of pink. On the floor was a large shaggy pink rug. The bed was decorated with a pink comforter with large white polka-dots and mountains of pink, white & purple pillows and a couple of stuffed animals. The walls held pictures, obviously cut out from magazine articles and advertisements, which depicted models in high-end clothing. Above the desk was a large collage picture frame with personal pictures. On the desk itself was a pink laptop and several stand-up picture frames all depicting one particular person posing with various other people. In one corner was a giant purple bean-bag chair. Emmett and I looked at each other in shock.

"Yay!! You're here! You must be Bella!" A tiny girl with short, black spiky hair came running from what I assume was the closet, as she had a dress and hanger in each of her hands. She threw them on the bed and ran up and hugged me. "I hope you don't mind that I took this room. It's really exactly the same as the other room, but, you see, my birthday is the 28th and it's my lucky number as well and I didn't think you would mind, really, as you weren't here yet and so I just took it. We can change back if you really want, but, like I said, it really is exactly the same." She stopped to breathe and looked up at Emmett, extending her hand for him to shake. "And who is this bear of a man?"

Emmett laughed and grabbed her hand. "I'm Emmett. Who are you?"

"Oh, I'm Alice. Pleased to meet you." Alice turned to me, then. "So, do you mind if I keep this room?"

"No, not at all. So, my room would be through here?" I asked, pointing at the only other door in the room.

"Yes," Alice said, "through there is our shared bathroom and your room is on the other side of that. The door from the bathroom to this room was unlocked, that's how I got in. Let's swap keys, then, before I forget!" She ran to her desk and rifled through her purse to find her key and handed it to me. "Let me lead the way."

Alice took off for the bathroom, talking a mile a minute. "So what's your major? I'm taking dance. I want to open my own dance studio one day, so I'm a business minor, as well. I already have a name picked out for my studio: Sparkle." Here, she took a breath. "And this is your room. See, completely identical to 328."

I took my bag off my shoulder, dropping it in front of the dresser. "Completely identical." I looked around the bland room and made a face. "I might need some of your help decorating. Although, I think we're going to have to forego the pink theme."

"Definitely," Emmett said. "So, where are you from, Alice?"

"I'm from Biloxi, Mississippi. How about you two? Where are you from? Are you boyfriend/girlfriend?"

Emmett and I just looked at each other and started laughing, causing Alice to look at us like we were strange, but she smiled, nevertheless. "Um…no. Bella and I have known each other since we were in diapers. Our parents are best friends. We're from Phoenix."

"Yeah, we decided to stick together and were both accepted to U of H. I'm taking business and Emmett is a history major."

"Geez," Alice said, looking at Emmett, "what do you do with a history degree?"

"Teach. I'm also taking kinesiology, as I also want to be a high school football coach."

"Wow. Sounds interesting." Alice looked around my room. "Please tell me you have more clothes than just that one bag."

Emmett and I laughed. "Yeah. It's in the truck. We should go shopping, though. I didn't bring anything for the room. I figured I would pick it up here. Save some space on the ride over."

"You just said the magic word, Bella! 'Shop' is my middle name!" Alice jumped up and down, clapping her hands. "Let's get a move on!"

Alice and I trudged up the stairs to our room with the last of the bags from our shopping trip, while Emmett made his way to his room with his new things.

"This should take care of it. I'm glad you have that mini-fridge. Tomorrow we can go grocery shopping." Alice dropped the last two bags on the floor next to my bed and flopped down. "I love shopping workouts."

I chuckled and began to unpack all the new things we bought. "I think I should wash these sheets first. Do you know where there's a laundry room?"

"Yeah, we passed it coming in. It's right behind the office. Hold on, I'll come with you."

I unpackaged my sheets and comforter, put them and my new towels in my basket and grabbed my laundry detergent.

"Ready," Alice said, walking back in. "And I got my key, so let's go!"

* * *

It was nice to spend time with Alice. She seemed to be easy-going, like Emmett and myself. Okay, she's a little obsessed with shopping, but other than that, I can tell we're going to get along famously.

Emmett and I didn't really have a lot of other friends, more like acquaintances, because we were so close. Back home, if someone saw me without him, they would question me about where he was, and vice versa. We really looked out for each other. When I broke up with my boyfriend, Jacob, last year, Emmett was there for me to let me know that I was no less a person without a boyfriend and that I was beautiful and Jacob was stupid. I stayed by his bedside when he tore his knee senior year and cried with him because his pro-football dream was dashed. We both picked up the pieces. We knew we would be by each other's side for the rest of our lives. That's why we decided together to come to the University of Houston. We both put in two years at Scottsdale Community College after high school in order to save some money and shared also an apartment together. I've wanted to come to University of Houston for as long as I remember. Both my parents came here.

I was explaining all this to Alice as we washed our loads of sheets and towels and, in Alice's case, lingerie. She told me about Biloxi, and her parents and her sister and her niece, Lexi. She told me about the dance classes she took growing up and how she missed her old friends back home. She told me about her ex-boyfriend, David, and how he decided, at the end of last semester, that they should end their four year relationship because as a football player at LSU, he didn't think that he would be able to find the time to make it work with her.

"Of course, you know what that really means, right?"

"That he's going to sleep with every girl he can?"

"Bingo! So I transferred here, which is where I really wanted to go all along. I was so stupid to follow him." She looked thoughtful for a second and said, "Oh, well. Water under the bridge now. So what about Emmett? Does he have a girlfriend?"

"No. Emmett never really dated. He has incredibly high standards. I mean, not about beauty, but she has to understand him and his ambitions and be close to her family and be ambitious herself. He wants the whole package. Hopefully he can find someone like that here. I'm kind of tired being his go-to girl. Not that there was EVER anything between us."

"I don't understand why," Alice says, "because he's very good-looking. Not my type, really, a little too bulky for that."

"I know what you mean. I tend to like guys who are lean, who have runners bodies. But let me tell you, Emmett is convenient to have around, especially when you want to keep the parasites away."

Alice laughed.

"…and I told him that we would be there. You have to come, Angela. It's going to be so much fun! And they're going to have beer & all kinds of alcohol. So we won't have to buy. Plus, it's just across the street…Come on! Say you'll come! I can't go by myself!"

Two girls walked into the laundry room, one holding a basket of linens. The girl who was speaking had long, curly brown hair, and was very petite. Her friend, Angela, was taller, slim, with straight brown hair and cute glasses. They were both lost in their conversation and didn't even notice us.

"Um, hi. I'm Alice." She stuck her hand out to the girls to shake, which they did. The shorter one looked at Alice like she had two heads, but Angela smiled. "And this is Bella," she said, turning to me.

"Jessica."

"Angela. Nice to meet you." After shaking Alice's hand, Angela turned to me and did the same. Jessica walked over as well and extended her hand.

"We couldn't help but hear you just now," Alice said, kind of bouncing on the balls of her feet. "Is there a party nearby and can we come with you?"

"Alice! You can't just invite yourself to go with them! We just met them!"

"I didn't invite myself, Bella. I invited us!"

Jessica smiled, seeing a kindred spirit in Alice. "Oh, that would be so much fun! Yeah, the guy that lives below me, Mike, invited me to a party his frat brother, Jason, is throwing at his apartment. It's just across the street."

"Oh, that sounds like we have to be there!" By now, Alice was bouncing up and down. "Just the perfect way to end our first night here, Bella!"

Angela and Jessica started laughing. "So you're sophomores?"

"Juniors; I just moved here from Phoenix and Alice is from Biloxi."

Angela smiled, "We're sophomores. We went to high school together in Nebraska."

"Oh, that's cool. My best friend, Emmett, is here with me, too."

"Did I hear my name?" Emmett stands in the doorway, holding a basket of his linens.

Alice jumps up and grabs Emmett by his biceps, continually bouncing. "We're going to a party tonight, Em! We're going to a party!"

Emmett laughs, drops his basket, grabs Alice by her forearms and starts bouncing, too. "I'm so excited, Alice! We're going to a party, we're going to a party!"

I just shake my head and sigh. "Can't take them anywhere."


	2. New Friends

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or the characters in the story.

Chapter 2: New Friends

Alice dressed me. Whatever, it's just a party. Let her have her fun. She put me in a white cap-sleeved t-shirt with a dark grey cropped vest, wide-leg jeans and silver ballet flats (because I refused to wear anything taller). She curled my long hair (which we gathered up into a messy bun and secured with a thin elastic headband) and did my makeup better than it's ever looked. I gotta say, she might have a permanent job.

She wore a strapless floral empire waist top and a short blue jean skirt and heels that made her as tall as I am. Her short black hair was spiked and messy, perfect for this humid weather. Alice has beautiful, flawless, porcelain skin and needs very little makeup. All she used on herself was mascara, blush and lipgloss. So lucky.

After a couple spritzes of Alice's Light Blue perfume, we were ready to go.

"Uh, wow." Emmett stood in the doorway, mouth agape. "You look hot, Bella. You didn't look this good for Prom!"

Alice laughed. "Thank you!"

"Yeah, thanks a lot, Emmett." I could feel myself blush. Stupid low tolerance for compliments.

"You don't look so bad yourself, Emmett," Alice said. He was wearing a black polo and dark blue jeans. "And you smell great! You might find yourself a girl tonight!" Alice smiled brightly.

"Yeah…okay," he mumbled, but I could tell he was pleased. I smiled, hoping that he would find that person he's been looking for. He certainly deserved her.

"Where are we supposed to meet Angela and Jessica?"

"The lobby at 11." I looked at the clock; five minutes til. "Let's go."

* * *

"Come on, Bella, one more drink."

"Okay, Alice. I'll have one more. But that's my limit. What have you got there?"

"I think it's vodka and kool-aid. It's really tasty." To illustrate her point, she took a drink and by the time she was done, half the Dixie cup was empty.

I took a sip of the drink, which was rather tasty, and looked around the room. Emmett had wondered off not long after we arrived and I have been camped out on this couch with Angela for at least half an hour, just listening to the music and talking. Of course, we couldn't really have a very enlightening conversation with the noise, but it beats trying to mingle.

Jessica had been talking to some generic-looking blonde guy in the corner since he walked in 45 minutes ago, who I have since learned is the Mike who invited her to the party.

Alice would dance off, float into a conversation with a random group of people, make everyone laugh and dance back off before her welcome was worn off. She was fascinating to watch, especially since she knew as few people as I did. Presently, she was sitting with me and Angela, having already made two rounds, waiting for new people to come in so she could charm them like she had already charmed everyone else.

"Come on, girls. Let's don't be wallflowers!" She grabbed my hand that wasn't holding my new favorite drink and pulled me up. "Let's have a look around."

We walked through the crowd. "So," Alice said when we paused in a relatively uncrowded part of the living room, "I hear the people whose apartment this is are moving out. That's one of the guys there." She pointed to a guy at the pool table that was set up in the dining room instead of a regular table. "His name is Ben. He's a poly-sci major." She took a sip of her drink. "There's one of his roommates," she said, lifting her chin, "Shannon. I haven't talked to him yet. His girlfriend is not too fond of other girls."

We all laughed. Just then, Jessica walked up. "Hey you guys. Mike said that they're moving the party over to the new house once it dies down here. He said we were all welcome to come."

"Ooh, yeah, that sounds like fun!" Alice was bouncing as she was wont to do. "Let's go dance!"

Angela, Alice, Jessica and I made our way over to where there was another group of girls dancing. I don't know what song was playing, I don't normally listen to popular music. I was just enjoying my buzz and my new friends and the music.

Suddenly, Angela pulled on my forearm and started mutely pointing into a corner of the room. At first I couldn't make out what she was trying to show me, but then she shouted in my ear, "Emmett."

And sure enough, there was Emmett, sitting on a brown leather armchair, making out with a blonde. My eyes popped out and my mouth dropped open. I have never, in all the years I have known Emmett, seen him make out with a girl. Not to say that he'd never made out with anyone, but he usually kept those sorts of things private. I wondered if he was drunk (like I suddenly realized I was).

I began making my way over there (I don't know why. I'll blame it on the alcohol) when I tripped over an empty beer bottle someone left in the middle of the freaking floor. I pushed my arms out to catch my fall, making the drink in my cup splash out onto a guy just to the left of me (who wasn't paying attention, as his back was turned and he was talking with someone else; good thing there was barely any left). I kept expecting to fall, but realized after several seconds that someone was holding me around my waist.

I looked up and behind me to thank whoever it was that saved me, thinking it was Angela, but my words caught in my throat at the site of this gorgeous guy with bronze-colored hair and green eyes.

I blinked a couple of times, just staring into his eyes. He watched me and his mouth slowly formed a crooked smile. I couldn't help but smile back.

"My hero," I said and my face immediately felt warm. Was I blushing or was it the alcohol? Probably both.

He laughed and set me upright. "You can just call me Edward," he said as he smiled again. I noticed for the first time that there was another guy standing next to him, who was also laughing.

I looked back to Edward and finally regained my ability to speak. "Edward." I blinked a couple more times.

"And what's your name?" he asked with a smirk. I really couldn't help it, he was seriously hindering all cognitive functioning.

"Bella. I'm Bella." I smiled and stuck out my hand.

"And I'm Alice! And this is Angela. Nice to meet you Edward." She stuck out her hand and I noticed for the first time that Jessica must have gone back to Mike. I turned back around to find Alice staring up at the guy who was with Edward.

He looked down at her, bemused and, I could tell even slightly drunk, he was intrigued.

"Jasper," he finally said.

Alice smiled, took another small step forward and said, "Where have you been all my life?"


	3. Stammers and Blushes

**Author's note: I'm sorry this is so late & so short. I kinda got stuck. But I'm liking the direction this is heading. Hopefully, I will have a new chapter by the end of the week. **Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight the book or the characters

* * *

Chapter 3: Stammers and Blushes

We were standing against the wall, sipping our drinks and talking. Edward introduced us to Ben, the poly-sci pool player. Ben had poor, shy Angela backed into a corner, his hand on the wall supporting himself while she looked down at him with a timid smile (she was a good couple inches taller than him and her shoes made the difference that much more severe).

Alice was sitting on Jasper's lap in an armchair across from us. They were playing with each other's hands and whispering and giggling. They seemed to be in their own world. I watched as he cupped her face in his hand and she closed her eyes and leaned into him as he continued to speak softly to her.

I looked over at Edward, who was looking at me, head tilted to the side and eyes narrowed, like he was trying to read my mind. I felt myself blush and tried to hide it by taking another drink. I suddenly felt very sober and very self-conscious. He laughed softly and took a swig of his beer. "You know…," he began, only to be interrupted.

"Finally, someone I know!" Jessica squealed, positioning herself between me and Edward against the wall. "Mike and Jason went on a beer run, so I came to see what you guys are up to."

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Edward look back and forth between me and Jessica a couple times, gave me a half-smile, turned around and walked away. I deflated. Too good to be true is what he is.

"Do you know who that was?" Jessica asked me, tilting her chin to Edward's back as he walked away.

"Um…Edward?" I ventured, giving her a look that said I thought she may have need to lay off the alcohol for a while.

"Edward _Cullen. _As in Cullen Boulevard, Cullen College of Engineering, Cullen Oaks residence hall, Cullen Performance Hall…to name a few."

I could feel my eyes pop out. Too good is right. University of Houston was a beneficiary of the Cullen family. The Cullen's were an old Texas family that contributed to the government after Texas became a state, and their decedents were very involved in the oil industry and education, making them very wealthy.

But this is not what stopped my heart. I knew the name Cullen for another reason. My mother, Renee, was once linked to Carlisle Cullen when she attended University of Houston and I had heard several stories about their escapades while I was growing up. Carlisle and my father, Charlie, played football here at U of H and were fraternity brothers. Then Carlisle and my mom broke up their senior year and my dad was there to comfort her. Carlisle and Charlie had a huge falling out when Charlie realized that he was in love with Renee. They ran away to Las Vegas and were married the summer after they graduated. The rest is history.

Just then, I looked up to see Alice and Jasper whispering to each other and looking at me. I narrowed my eyes and went to push off the wall and walk over to them when I noticed out of the corner of my eye someone walking in my direction.

I smiled, delighted to be able to make fun of my best friend. "Emmett! Where have you been?? I haven't seen you all night. You look flushed…are you okay? Do you need to lie down?"

"Very funny, Bells." He walked closer & I could see he was blushing. Interesting new development. Emmett has the capacity to blush. I should write this down. "I was just coming to check on you and see if maybe you were ready to head back. I'm beat."

"What about this mystery blonde? The one I saw you sucking face with earlier? Did you run her off?"

Emmett blushed deeper and then stammered, "Oh, um, yeah…she's gone home for the night. Said she had…um," he paused for a second, I guess trying to decide if he should make something up or stick with the truth, "…church in the morning."

I didn't know which way he decided to go, truth or a lie, because this obviously could be either. I just stood there, my eyes narrowed and my forehead crinkled trying to determine whether or not to believe him, when Alice glided up, her arm behind her, gripping Jasper's hand and pulling him along as well.

"Are we ready to go?" She asked. Jasper walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders and she leaned back into him. They already seemed like a little old couple. "Jasper has to go and there really is no reason to stay, now." She turned and smiled up at him.

I didn't know what to say. I was tired, yes, especially after the long day we had, but I wasn't ready to leave until I talked to Edward some more. Suddenly, I could see him through the crowd, his bronze hair like a beacon. He was looking at me, then his eyes shifted to Emmett, who was standing besides me, his arm around my shoulder.

"Yes, I'm exhausted." Emmett squeezed my shoulder. "Ready?"

"Well…" I started, looking back into towards Edward and finding him gone. "Yeah, let's go." I sighed, disappointed. "Angela, you coming?"

"Huh?" She came up for air, blushing. "Go?" She looked down at Ben, who hadn't taken his eyes off of her, trying to decide what to do.

Ben grabbed her hand. "I'll walk you back," he said. "I'm not ready to let you out of my sight." Angela blushed, but grabbed his hand and walked out behind us.


End file.
